Philadelphia and Silicon Valley?

Author: Clarip’s Director of Sales

Most people today may not be familiar with the classic Rorschach test but most, if not ALL, people have actually taken it!  What is the Rorschach test?  In sum, the Rorschach test is a psychological test in which subjects’ perceptions of inkblots and words are recorded and then analyzed. For those children of the 1980’s and 1990’s like myself, both Seinfeld and Friends touched on the test, with Jerry and Joey, respectively, using the test to offer humorous takes on human nature!

So, let’s try a simple Rorschach test and I will say the following words – startup.  If, you like most people, instantaneously say things like “Silicon Valley” or “Facebook” or “Uber,” I could not blame you.  For me, however, I think “Philadelphia.”  YES, Philadelphia!

According to the business magazine, Crain’s, “while the city may not be seen as startup central the same way Silicon Valley, New York, or Austin, Texas, are, Philadelphia is still a major national player on the startup scene. A report published by TechNet this March ranked Philadelphia among the top 10 emerging startup hubs nationwide, based on the number of job postings containing the word “startup.”

The article goes on to note, “Three types of companies have done particularly well in the Philadelphia area: digital marketing and data, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and education.. Some robotics startups also have gotten a boost under the auspices of Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania.”

As I have a personal interest in the topic, both as a Philadelphia area resident as well as the Director of Sales with Clarip – an AI based data, privacy and consent management platform — I can attest to how friendly Philly has become to companies such as ours.  From a plethora of angel investors, a rich cultural scene which can help to attract top talent, a reasonable cost of living, world class universities, and easy access in the “Amtrak corridor,” Philadelphia is primed to become not only the “cheesesteak capital” of the world but may very well be known in 5 years as the new hub for start ups.

To see what Philadelphia has to offer you or to just be connected with like-minded entrepreneurs, please feel free to email me on john@clarip.com or call my mobile on (484) 919-5235. And don’t forget to also call us if you are looking for help from a GDPR company in Philadelphia.

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